New fish species found identified in 2 N. Idaho rivers
| COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho
Genetic testing has determined that a new fish species, cedar sculpin, are present in the Coeur d'Alene and St. Joe rivers in northern Idaho.
U.S. Forest Service biologist Michael Young tells The Spokesman-Review in a story on Thursday that for decades biologists thought the minnow-sized fish was the more common shorthead sculpin.
Young says scientists found small variations and sent samples to a lab in Missoula, Mont. He says identifying the fish was a combined effort between the Forest Service and the University of Montana.
Sculpin are typically found in North America's major river systems.
Young says cedar sculpin probably emerged as a distinct species thousands of years ago.
He says waterfalls on the Spokane River likely blocked fish passage and cut off intermingling with othersculpin.
